Success in Athletics and how to obtain it

102 SUCCESS IN ATHLETICS every effort throughout to force the body on and upwards (sketch 2). The step must be neither overdone nor underdone, but made of such a length that balance is retained for the take-off in the final phase of the movements. Although considerable strength must have been put into the initial movement, the strength should have been so husbanded in the middle part that consider– able power 1 has been reserved for the culminating stage, and a really strong jump is made, not the gradually dwindling, nerveless effort of an exhausted competitor who has injudiciously drawn upon his resources too early. From the foregoing it will be seen that consider– able judgement must be exercised, and a real. study made of the art. Thus, and thus only, will success be attained. For the guidance of the athlete it may be stated that in a jump of 46 ft. to 48 ft., the hop should be r6 ft. to r8 ft., the step from ro ft. to 12ft., and the jump from 18ft. to 20ft. In the running long-jump, tall, slender men with very long legs-for instance, the late H. S. 0. Ashing– ton, of Cambridge University, the holder of the Inter– University Long Jump Record-frequently attain to pre-eminence; but for the hop, step, and jump such a physique is not suited-far better is the short indi– vidual, with a light but muscular body and abnormally developed lower limbs. In training for this event the athlete must cultivate great determination. At first he should practise only to acquire forll), a-nd even when this is accomplished he should only go through the full evolution with about half the proper run.